Portable wire reel holder



Nov. 16, 1948. LE ROY FRONTZ 2,453,979

PORTABLE WIRE REEL HdLnER Filed June 6, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 I rlventor LEROY FRO/V77 16, 1948. LE ROY FRONTZ 2,453,979

PORTABLE WIRE REEL HOLDER Filed June 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor LEROY FRO/V72 Patented Nov. 16, i lg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,453,979 PORTABLE WIRE REEL HOLDER Le Roy Frontz, Allenwood, Pa.

Application June 6, 1945, Serial No. 597,869

1 Claim. 1

The present invention rel-ates to holders for wire reels of a type adapted for reeling and unreeling barbed wire fences, or wire used for other purposes and the invention has for its primary object to provide a portable holder of this character,

An important object of the present invention is to provide a reel holder of this character embodying a carriage adapted for movement over the ground while the wire is being reeled and unreeled, together with a shaft carried by the carriage and on which a reel of wire is supported together with means operatively connecting the reel to the shaft and for rotating the shaft to produce the reeling and unreeling action.

A still further object of the invention is to provide drag means to prevent idle rotation of the reel on the holder.

A still further object is to provide a reel holder of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, embodying means for easily and quickly mounting the reel in position thereon and which otherwise is well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the shaft for supporting the reel and with parts broken away and shown in sections.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view thereof, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on a line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention. The number 5 designates a frame of U-shaped formation having an axle 6 secured at the end thereof and on which wheels I are journaled.

A pair of arms 8 extend upwardly and forwardly from the frame at the junction thereof with the axle 6, the arms being of channel shape in cross section and formed with a notch 9 at the upper ends thereof for receiving a shaft ID in a rotat-ably supported position at the upper ends of the arms. The shaft 10 is secured against accidental displacement in the notches 9 by means of pins II.

The shaft I0 is formed with a pair of spaced apart flanges l2 between which the edges of one of the notches 9 is received to prevent transverse movement of the shaft on the arms and the shaft is also formed with a relatively large flange l3 fixed thereto and a removable flange l4 adapted for mounting in position at one of the shaft by means of a hub I5 having a pin it inserted therethrough for selectively positioning an opening ll in the shaft to secure the flange M in adjustably spaced relation with the respect to flange l3.

A wire reel (not shown) is adapted for mounting on the shaft Hl between the flanges I 3 and I4 and to be connected to the shaft for rotation therewith by means of a pin [8 projecting from the inner face of the flange l3 and adapted for engagement between the spokes at one end of the wire reel.

The flange I4 is adjustable on the shaft to accommodate reels of various sizes.

The end of the shaft adjacent the fixed flange I3 is provided with a crank handle l9 by means of which the shaft may be rotated at the upper ends of the arms 8 to thus rotate the reel mounted on the shaft for reeling and unreeling the wire thereon.

A resilient arm 20 is attached at one end to one of the arms 8 by means of rivets or the like 2|, the other end of the arm 20 havin a brake shoe 22 in the form of a block secured thereto and adapted for bearing against the outer surface of the flange l3 to function as a drag to prevent idle rotation of the shaft in and thus maintain tension on the wire while being paid out.

The shoe 22 is adjusted toward and away from the flange l3 by means of a screw 23 threaded through the arm 8 to which the drag is attached, the screw 23 thus adjusting the frictional engagement of the shoe with the flang l3 to increase or decrease the drag on the reel.

To the front end of the frame 5 is attached a downwardly and rearwardly inclined skid 24 having a rounded lower end adapted to slide over the surface of the ground, the rear end of the skid being connected to the frame by means of a brace 25.

In the operation of the device, the shaft 10 is removed from the upper ends of the arms 8, the flange l4 removed from the shaft and a wire reel then mounted on the shaft between the flanges I 3 and M. The pin I8 will connect the reel for rotation with the shaft whereby wire on the reel may be wound or unwound therefrom.

During the reeling or unreeling of the wire by the handle 19 the frame 5 mounted on the wheels 3 l and skid 24 will be dragged over the surface of the ground.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that :even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A wire reel holder comprising :a carriage adapted for movement over the ground, a pair of arms rising from said carriageat opposite sides thereof and having notched upper ends, a manually operable shaft rotatably fitted in said notched-ends, whereby the same is removable from said arms, said-shaft being adapted to support areel' thereon between said arms, a fixed flange on said shaft adjacent one arm, means connecting the reel to said flange for rotation therewith, a drag carried by said one arm and frictionally engaging one side of said flange, and a pair of collars on said shaft straddling the notched upper end of said one arm to prevent end play of said shaft and consequent movement of said flange away from said drag.

LE ROY FRONTZ.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 358,354 Hayes Feb. 22, 1887 396,816 Haskell Jan, 29, 1889 443,442 Harper Dec. 23, 1890 766,522 Reichenberger Aug. 2, 1904 824,438 Richardson June 26, 1906 855,822 Weiricl-r July -11, 1907 1,312,963 Dutroet ai. Aug. 12, 1919 

